Step by Step Journey of a C-Section (Day 2)

Although a Caesarean takes only 1 day, the recovery is a looooooooong process. The first few days, in particular. For those going through this for the first time, it's a freaky process, so I hope my account here helps ease some doubts and help you get prepared mentally. (it's not that bad actually, but it's nicer to know what's going to happen, usually)

• During the first night, we didn't room in with the baby - we forgot. But it was a blessing in disguise, as my husband and I both had more rest. The nurses brought the baby in for feeding, only once in the middle of the night. That meant about 5 hours break in between feeds. The baby slept a lot more, so he didn't cry for feeds and we had to wake him. But on hindsight, we should have requested to feed more often (more on that in another post).
• Early in the morning at about 6am, 2 nurses came in to clean me up. Oh it was soooo welcome. They turned me this way and that, and wiped me down with a wet wipe. It felt so refreshing, after lying in bed and not moving at all for a whole day. 
• By morning, I was ready to take a regular meal. Semi- inclined in my bed, that is.
• My gynae came by to check on me at about 9am. All was good. We chatted about how I should take care of the wound, and how long it would take to recover. She made me touch the wound site (which was covered by a waterproof plaster). I was so scared!! But surprisingly, it wasn't painful. More numb, actually. She told me the wound dressing would be changed just before I was discharged, then a few days later (on day 6) at a visit to her clinic. After which, I would be able to remove the dressing in another week. So the external skin wound should take just less than 2 weeks to fully heal. 
• Before she left, she dropped another bomb on me - she instructed that I should get out of bed and try walking to the toilet by the next day!! I wasn't looking forward to the pain I would feel... but she said I had no choice but to try it. Better try it at the hospital than at home. Anyways, I was scheduled to have my urine catheter removed on Day 3 as well, so I didn't have much of a choice unless if I wanted to wet my bed. >.<
• Slightly later, the pediatrician came to visit. She was Dr Janice Wong from Thomson Medical Center. She gave the all pass to my son. Quick, meaning all was fine. So that was a good thing. 
• The rest of the day, it was just a routine of meals, painkillers and nursing. I was appalled at the amount of painkillers I was on (3 different types!), but totally welcome to it because I didn't want to feel pain. I was able to sit up a little more, high enough to feed myself. I also started nursing in a cradle position, which required me to sit up a little more than on Day 1, when I nursed while lying down. 
• I didn't arrange for any hospital visits after Day 1 from my immediate family members, and I was glad about it. There was just not much more time to rest after meals and nursing! I'm glad I got to rest as much as I could, without having to entertain guests. (well, ample time to have guests during confinement after that!)
• With complete feelings in my limbs, and the ability to sit up a little more and thus be a little more independent, Day 2 was slightly more comfortable. I was probably also more accustomed to life in bed. :S